How about an easy dinner, or lunch?

Gosh everynight fixing dinner, balancing a career, family, pets, well you know it all too well, the list goes on and on.  Take a night off, sort of, let's make Tuna Melt Sandwiches.  Here we go...

The Players:

It is okay to use Miracle Whip or a mayonaisse type product, just use whatever you like to use everyday.  Butter for this one, I use salted but again it is your call.

Break up the tuna with a fork especially if you are using solid white tuna in water.

Salt and pepper as desired.  Add Miracle Whip, start out with just a little, you can always add more if needed.  You want just enough to make it moist but do not over-do it, a mushy sandwich will result:

Mix ingredients well, but do not overmix, just enough is the goal.

Start preheating your grill or frying pan at this point.  Butter the slices of bread, I had white bread on hand so I used this but normally we opt for wheat bread:

Best to butter the bread to the edges as close as you can for even browning on the grill. 

Our daughter Jeniece's dog Belle was visiting us while the family vacationed in Texas.  Belle loves it when she is at our home because, well let's just say she does get treated like a "special"  dog, which of course she is.  Here she is watching me from the door of the kitchen and yes, I did make her a sandwich too.  :)

Now you can see how small my kitchen really is.  But we love this cozy home.  Not so much on the lack of counter space.

Assemble the sandwiches, butter side down:

Place sandwiches on lightly buttered pre-heated grill:

It does not take long for the sandwiches to become nice and golden. 

One more sandwich can fit on the grill and that one will be for Belle. 

A couple views of the finished sandwiches. 

Tuna Melt Sandwiches

Ingredients:

1-2 cans tuna, solid white in water preferred but use your favorite

1/2 stick of butter, divided, for buttering bread and grill or pan

salt and pepper to taste

1 slice cheddar cheese for each sandwich  (just about any cheese will do)

2-3 tabs. Miracle Whip (or mayonaisse)

Bread, your choice, white was used here, 2 slices per sandwich

Directions:

Butter one side of each slice of bread.  Get butter to corners for even browning of bread.

Open can(s) of tuna, drain water, or oil from can.  Place the tuna in a bowl for mixing. Salt and pepper the tuna, mix. 

Add Miracle Whip to tuna, salt and pepper mixture.  Start out with a small amount, you can always add more, hard to take out if too much is added.  You want the mixture to be moistened but not overly moist or a soggy sandwich will result.  Mix but do not overmix.

At this point, pre-heat grill to high.  Adjust heat as necessary but for my grill I keep it on high. 

Assemble the sandwiches, butter side to the outside.  Add tuna to one side of bread, top with cheese.  Add second piece of bread to close sandwich.  Try to keep things as even as possible within the sandwich, in other words you do not want the cheese to slide off on the grill.

Place sandwich onto pre-heated grill.  A guesstimate for browning is under 5 minutes.  Keep an eye on the sandwiches, if they brown up too quickly but you can see the cheese is not melting much, then lower heat and continue grilling.  This way sandwich will not get too brown and cheese will have time to melt.  Turn sandwiches when they are nice and golden.  Allow time for the second side of the sandwich to brown and the cheese to melt, or "set-up".

Remove from grill, serve with a side of potato chips and pickles, even some cole slaw or potato salad works well with these sandwiches. 

Optional idea: In place of the tuna you can use ham, these sandwiches are equally as good, in my opinon.  If you use the thinner sliced deli ham use two slices, folded next to each other.

Enjoy!

Evelyn

It's Friday must be Tuna and Noodle night?

Hi Friends,

When we were kids we got to pick what we would have for our birthday dinner.  Being a family of 12 this was no small feat when the "boys" would place their order but for me (and a couple sisters), it was Tuna and Noodles all the way.  I still think about this when I fix for my family now.

Here is what you will need:

Yes, there are cinnamon rolls there too.  We are a strange lot here but this is what I make when we have tuna and noodles.  Guess it is the sweet and salty thing.  Funny thing is no one here thinks it is strange or complains.  It is just the way it is.  You can skip this part, but why? 

The Prep, step by step:  (did I make a rhyme? Unintentional for sure, next I will break into reciting old knock-knock jokes.

Cook noodles according to package directions.  Drain and return to dutch oven, or pour into a casserole dish.  Add tuna, salt and pepper, onion and garlic powder if using, mix.

Add the cream of mushroom soup, mix to coat noodles and tuna.  At this point you can add peas if you wish.  We prefer them on the side unless they are the petite peas, then in they go.

Add bread crumbs to top of casserole, or, if you dare, do like my Mom does, add potato chips, just regular old  chips, drizzle the bread crumbs or the chips with melted butter.  This just keeps getting better and better doesn't it?  Could this be a small carb overload?  Oh well, take a nap later.  This casserole has tuna in it for goodness sakes, it should be good for you, right?  So go ahead and take the nap. 

Look at that action shot! 

All mixed up and ready for the oven.

This might be the real reason you will feel like a nap after dinner.  I want one of those now. 

And another view:

John loves this, I plate up his plate for the photo, he shoots a quick photo then he is off to the table to eat.  I am just figuring this one out, call me slow but no wonder he likes being the photographer.   Two shots here because he was not sure he liked having the fork in the photo.  So what does he do?  Yep, he added more food to his plate and took the fork away.  Yes, girls he is all mine. 

Ingredients:

1 bag flat egg noodles

3 cans of tuna, solid white tuna in water or chunk light tuna in water

3 cans cream of mushroom soup

1/3 cup milk

salt and pepper

the usual subjects: garlic powder and onion powder (opt.)

bread crumbs, plain here but seasoned crumbs work too, if you prefer

1/2 stick melted butter

1 tube of Grands cinnamon rolls (opt.)

The How-To:

Prepare noodles according to package directions.  Drain and place in casserole dish or return to dutch oven.  Add tuna, salt, pepper, onion and garlic powders to taste. Mix.  

Add cream of mushroom soups, mix well.  Add peas at this time but mix gently so they do not break up.  Add a small amount of milk if casserole seems too thick.  Stir to mix again. 

Melt butter in microwave or on stove.  Sprinkle on bread crumbs or potato chips, drizzle with melted butter.  Do not mix again this is the topping. 

Bake in 350 degree oven for 35 minutes or until bubbly.

While casserole is baking prepare the cinnamon rolls according to package directions.  I place them on a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan on the top shelf in oven while casserole is baking.  Make sure to watch the rolls as they will bake up quicker on the top shelf. 

Serve with a vegetable, or if peas are used in the casserole, you are set. 

Enjoy my version of this old classic!

Evelyn